| Without a doubt, golf swing tempo IS a fundamental | | | | all great stuff, but how fast should I swing?" Because |
| of the golf swing. However, it would appear to be | | | | after all, we are always hearing about club head |
| the most overlooked and underwritten about. What | | | | speed, and how it affects distance. |
| doesn't help, is that half of what I read on the | | | | So let us add Swing Tempo to our list of golf |
| subject is just nonsense anyway. If I were a high | | | | fundamentals. In fact, lets put it in 3rd Place, right |
| handicapper, some of these articles would leave me | | | | behind grip and alignment. The reason being is that, if |
| more mystified about Swing Tempo than when I | | | | you have a basic understanding of swing technique, |
| started them. | | | | then Swing Tempo is the glue that holds it all |
| Here is an excerpt from such an article...."Get into a | | | | together. Pausing at the top of your back swing, for |
| rhythm with your swing by counting one on the way | | | | anywhere between a pause and 2 seconds is the |
| back, two at the top (give it a little pause) and three | | | | stuff that will bring it crashing down. In fact this will |
| on the way down." Now I ask you, do you | | | | more than likely cause you to 'Cast,' or come over |
| understand this. I know I don't. If you and I both | | | | the top in the swing. With good tempo, the left knee |
| counted to three, and it were timed, there's a good | | | | should be starting it's Downswing move to the left, |
| chance that we would not both do it, in the same | | | | just as the hands and club are reaching the top of |
| time frame. Our nature would affect the count. | | | | the back swing. |
| Would your little pause be longer or shorter than my | | | | I don't disagree totally with the counting system. |
| little pause? It will be our brains that are doing the | | | | What you need though is a device to dictate the |
| counting, and it's our brains that get us into so much | | | | count, a device that is external. A device that is not |
| trouble, out on the course, in the first place. Will we | | | | your brain. Be it one of the many golf swing tempo |
| count to three in the same calm way, when we are | | | | devices, a simple and inexpensive metronome, or a |
| facing a 150 yard carry over a lake to a bunker | | | | piece of music with a beat that you can swing to. If |
| guarded green?.......I think not! I don't know that I ever | | | | you are an Iphone user, there is even an application |
| saw Tiger, Phil or VJ taking this little pause. | | | | that you can download exactly for the purpose. |
| The article goes on further to suggest that, when | | | | Now it is often said that most high handicappers |
| practicing at the range, this pause should be for | | | | swing too fast. This is not, in fact, the case. Most |
| TWO SECONDS! Now I ask you, does this sound like | | | | swing too slow, but their swings look fast because |
| Golf Swing Tempo training? If you are going to hold | | | | they lack a decent tempo. Either a really quick take |
| at the top of the back swing for 2 seconds, then | | | | away that then slows on the way to impact, or the |
| why not just cut out the middleman. Yes, that's right, | | | | reverse. Ernie Els' 'Big Easy' swing, is in fact, exactly |
| forget the whole address the ball, waggle, smooth | | | | the same tempo as Phil Mickelson's and VJ Singh's. |
| take away and the rest. Just start your swing at the | | | | Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player's were slightly faster. |
| top. Like facing a pitcher with a baseball bat in your | | | | Where the tour pros do not vary, is in the ratio of |
| hands. Trust me though, you can kiss swing speed | | | | their swings. THIS IS KEY! The tour pros ALL swing |
| Goodbye! | | | | at a 3 To 1 Ratio. However long they take getting to |
| If you are a golfer, then I'm sure that it's safe to | | | | the top of their back swing is 3 Times that of |
| say, that if I were to ask you to write a list of the | | | | getting the club head back to impact! |
| fundamentals of golf, you would probably hand me a | | | | So there you go. Probably the simplest fundamental |
| list that included: | | | | you ever read. Get to the range with some type of |
| - Grip | | | | timing device, and swing to a 3 TO 1 Ratio. The |
| - Posture | | | | magic thing about it is, that you will find yourself so |
| - Ball Position | | | | engrossed with listening to the Beats, that all other |
| - Alignment | | | | swing thoughts (particularly negative ones), will leave |
| - Pre-swing Routine | | | | your head. Try different tempos (NOT RATIOS) and |
| ...and you wouldn't be wrong. I'd be mightily | | | | find the one that suits your personality. When you |
| impressed. I could take those fundamentals to the | | | | have, you can take your new tempo onto the |
| range with a bunch of books and magazines and | | | | course, where my guess is, you'll swing with a new |
| work on them. But sooner or later I'm going to ask | | | | found confidence. |
| you, (Because I'm an inquisitive kind of guy), "This is | | | | |